The New Girl
by sassyplaya
Summary: The Halliwell's younger cousin Gwen comes to live with them adding to the drama and excitement of their already chaotic lives.
1. intro

**Title: The New Girl**

**Synopsis: During the second year of being witches, the Halliwell's (Prue, Piper, Phoebe) younger cousin Gwen comes to live with them. She brings with her a grace and charm as well as magical powers of her own.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TV show _Charmed _or anything related to it. I am however putting a copyright on Gwen.**

****

**A/N: Hey guys! After reading much fan fiction from many different authors & enjoying them immensely, I've decided to try writing my own. Please be aware that this is my very first fic of all time & any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks & enjoy!**

**Chapter I- part 1**

** It was a cool October morning when Piper Halliwell walked down the street in search of Kit, the Halliwell's protector cat. With no sign of the intelligent animal in sight, she sighed and turned back in the direction of the family's old Victorian manor. Her sister Prue would already be at in her Buckland's office, busy as usual. Phoebe on the other hand…carried the late rising genes and probably wouldn't be awake for another couple of hours. Piper wanted to get home and start cooking some breakfast for herself and her white lighter boyfriend Leo. But as she turned the corner on Prescott St., she felt a strange new air overtake her. Something different had come to town, she knew it. Things were going to change.**


	2. The Big News

A/N: I know the introduction was short, but I just wanted to make sure I was uploading correctly. The _italicized_ phrases and words are in reference to the person's thoughts. Anyway here's the rest of chapter one Enjoy & Review!   
  
Reviews: I just got my very first ever review from Pheobe-Halliwell! Thank you sooo much! It means a lot to me, so I hope you continue to enjoy the fic!   
  
Chapter I Part 2   
  
Sunshine spilled onto Phoebe's light brown hair and shined onto her perma tan face. She mumbled something about the drapes and whished she had remembered to close them the night before. "Ooof", Phoebe muttered as she grudgingly got out of bed. It would be another long day of job searching. She knew she had to help out with the rent of the house, but still couldn't understand how anyone could wake up so early.   
  
" Are those pancakes I smell?" Phoebe asked as she walked down the stairs to the kitchen.   
  
_Some things never change_. Piper thought wryly, as she saw her youngest sister flop down on a barstool in front of her. "Rough night Phoebes?" Piper asked teasingly with a brown sparkle in her eyes.   
  
"For your information, I was online till 2 trying to find a new job," Phoebe said frustratingly as she attempted to grab a piece of bacon off a plate.   
  
"Really? So after the club, you and Todd didn't..." Piper didn't need to say it. The wriggle in her perfectly shaped eyebrows said it all.   
  
"Of course not!" Phoebe exclaimed as a blush crept into her cheeks, "I was working that's all. God get your mind out of the gutter Piper!"   
  
"Hahaha, sorry sweetie but you have to admit Todd is a hottie", said Piper with a small smile. She continued making breakfast as Phoebe sent her death glares every few minutes.   
  
" I really don't think you're in any position to be talking about other men Piper, since you have a perfect one of your own. Where is Leo anyway?" asked Phoebe with a questioning look.   
  
" Right here," a new but familiar voice said. A smile crept into Leo's handsome face as he watched two of the most important people in his life banter. "Morning honey," he said as he came over and swooped Piper into a giant hug.   
  
" Hey there," responded Piper with a loving look in her eyes. The two kissed passionately forgetting Phoebe was also in the room. Their star-crossed love was apparent to anyone who saw them together. Especially on mornings like this.   
  
"Ahem, not that I'm not glad to see you Leo, but do you think you guys could take it into another room please?" asked Phoebe exasperatedly as she watched the lovebirds smooch. It is waaay too early in the morning to be watching this, thought Phoebe annoyingly. Ok, maybe I'm just jealous cuz I don't have a man of my own.   
  
Piper and Leo managed to pry themselves off each other long enough to notice the look of happiness and embarrassment on their faces. _They're not going to be that glad to see me when I tell them why I'm here_, thought Leo, slightly shuddering. " I have something to discuss with you all. It's important so we have to call Prue and get her here too," said Leo, all romance gone.   
  
"Life or death? Because if it's not one of those, can't it wait until after breakfast?" asked Phoebe tiredly.   
  
" No this is really dire. Here let me get Prue, we need the three of you here", said Leo worriedly. He quickly orbed off, leaving Piper and Phoebe with matching looks on their faces. The look came in loud and clear- something big was up and they knew it wasn't going to be good.   
  
_Ugh, I'm never gonna get all this paperwork done_, thought Prue as she sighed. _One of the perks of being a Charmed One I guess. God how are we supposed to have normal lives and still find time to save the world ever week?_ Suddenly, taking her out of her reverie was a blue/white orb of bright lights. Her soon to be brother in law stood directly in front of her.   
  
"Leo! What did I say about orbing here at work? Someone could walk into my office at any minute!" Prue exclaimed.  
  
"Sorry Prue but there's an emergency at the Manor, so we have to get home," said Leo with a serious look on his face.   
  
Dread overtook Prue as she heard Leo speak these words. Her worst fear was that someone or something would hurt her sisters. _Oh God, are they okay? Are they hurt? What now?_ "Leo, oh my god, is everything okay? Phoebe? Piper? Are they okay?" Prue demanded as she tightly gripped Leo's shoulders and proceeded to violently shake them.   
  
"They're fine. They're waiting for you. There's just something me all need to discuss. Together", Leo said soothingly.   
  
"Ok, Ok but lets make it quick. I have a mountain of paperwork to fill out", said Prue urgently. Leo took hold of Prue's arm and orbed her out of Buckland's into Halliwell Manor. She quickly checked her surroundings to make sure everything was in order. _Sisters? Check. House? Check. Leo? Check._ Everything seemed to be fine except for the worried looks on her sisters' faces.   
  
"Prue, are you all right?" asked Piper hurriedly. "Leo said something about an emergency."   
  
"I'm just as in the dark as you guys", said Prue, already a worry frown appeared on her pale, smooth skin.   
  
"Okay, now that all of you are here I can tell you what's happened," said Leo looking at each of the three women in turn. "I'm afraid I have some bad news. Your aunt Priscilla and her husband Mark were killed a few days ago by a demon named Cronon," he paused, searching the witches' faces.   
  
Prue had a shocked, steady look to her. _How could this happen?_ She thought as she anxiously tried to calm down. Piper was somewhere in between astonishment and grief. She sat down on the family's floral couch and stared ahead, lost in thought. Phoebe-the extremely emotional sister was already starting to tear up. She couldn't believe it and begged Leo to tell them he was kidding.   
  
"No joke. Cronon killed Priscilla and Mark and went mad with hysterics when he realized Gwen wasn't in the house," Leo said solemnly.   
  
"Oh god! Gwen-where is she? How's she doing? Does she even know? How is she gonna get through this? She's only 12!" cried Phoebe. She had always been closest to the young witch even though none of the sisters saw much of Gwen and her immediate family since they lived on the east coast.   
  
"How's she doing Leo?" Piper asked quietly. Leo hesitated before answering.  
  
"The truth? She's in total shock. At the time she was at a friend's house and came home to find her parents-dead," he said as he looked away.   
  
"How horrible," said Prue shaking her head. She seemed to have gotten over her shock, and was now only concerned for her cousin.   
  
"Well that's part of the reason I asked you all here immediately. You see Cronon won't stop hunting for Gwen until he's killed her. That's where you come in. You three are the only blood relatives she has left. She needs you to protect her, watch out for her, and be there for her. I know this is a very big shock and change, but she needs to stay here," Leo said quickly.   
  
"Stay here?" asked Prue. "As in... indefinitely? For the rest of her life? Or until Cronon is killed?"   
"Well that's the thing. Gwen hasn't come fully into her powers yet. So when word gets around that she's unprotected-Cronon wont be the only demon after her, " relayed Leo.   
  
"Where is she now Leo?" asked Phoebe with a fearful look in her brown eyes.   
  
"She's safe. She's staying in England with Dumbledore. (A/N: I'm a HUGE HP fan so I thought I'd add the other magic crew to the fic. I hope you'll all trust that I will make it worthwhile and tasteful. It's not going to happen until later stories though when Gwen is more settled in. Explain more later) He'll keep her safe, but not for long," Leo answered.   
  
"Ok," said Piper with a determined looking on her face, "She'll stay here as long as she needs to. We'll figure out the rest when the time comes."   
  
"Wait a minute, are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting? You want a twelve-year-old witch to stay with us? Here in the Manor where we deal with dangerous demons everyday?" said Prue feverishly.   
  
"It's not like she's really normal. I mean she has dealt with demons before. And she probably has tons of information on demons and warlocks. She could help make our job a little easier," Phoebe reasoned.   
  
"Are you insane? You want to put a little girl right in the middle of the battlefield? She'll get killed!" said Prue exasperatedly.   
  
"She has powers. Leo what are they?" asked Phoebe.   
  
"From what I've heard she should have the power of deflection, "said Leo.   
  
"Deflection huh? That's impressive," Piper said with an awed expression-but at the look on Prue's face, "and dangerous."   
  
"Okay here's what I'm proposing. We let Gwen stay here for the time being. We protect her, help her, whatever is takes. Now matter what she's family, first and foremost, "said Phoebe standing up.   
  
Piper nodded her head and proceeded back into the kitchen to finish cooking breakfast. Prue grudgingly orbed back into Buckland's with Lep, and continued to look over some appraised pieces. But her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't shake the feeling that their lives were definitly going to be different. 


	3. The New Arrival

A/N: I honestly didn't think it would take two chapters to finally introduce Gwen into the fic, but as it turned out-it did. I promise everything will work however, and I hope everyone will enjoy this next big installment. Thanks for reviewing & please continue!   
  
Reviews: Greeneyedsummer: Thank you for encouraging the HP aspect, but unfortunately it's going to be a while before I can introduce him and the rest of the Hogwarts clan. I'm very happy that you like it so far :)   
  
Ibpapasgirl: Thanks for reading the story and I hope you carry on :)   
  
JanaRose: When I actually started writing the fic I was almost 100% sure that there were no errors, and soon enough I found some. Oh well, nothing can be perfect. I'm glad you've decided to "think outside of your mind", although, like I've said before,the HP aspect won't happen for a long while. I'm also glad you like the name Gwen; it's actually short for Gwendolyn-a name I thought was very dignified for a time. But then it lost its valor & now she's just Gwen, or Gwendy as I will call her sometimes. I hope you like the rest of the fic!   
  
Chapter 3   
  
_What to wear, what to wear_... thought Phoebe. _Well it doesn't have to be anything special, just something that commands authority, but is still hip, and grants some respect for her parents. _She decided on a pair of black hip-hugging pants and a cashmere gray top, along with some black trendy flats. As she walked down the hall, she noticed Piper cleaning out the spare room while feather dusting it. She wore dark blue jeans and a burgundy long sleeve shirt. Her long dark hair was pulled back in loose bun at the base of her neck. _Guess Piper was going for the same idea-clothes wise...   
_  
"Hey want some help?" asked Phoebe glancing around the old room.   
  
"Sure thanks. We haven't been in this room for ages, so now we can finally put it into use. I thought we could move all of Grams' stuff to the attic. Hey, do me a favor and get those extra sheets from the linen closet please," said Piper as she attempted to fluff out the old mattress.   
  
"Ok. Do you think she'll like the floral pattern or the pastel pattern more?" yelled Phoebe from across the hallway.   
  
"Uh, lets go with the pastel for now and we can change it if it doesn't suit her," decided Piper.   
  
"You know we haven't seen Gwen in like six years- you don't think she's turned into some diva witch do you?" Phoebe asked while helping her sister tuck the sheets in the bedsides.   
  
" I doubt it. I mean she was always really respectful. Not to mention sweet and funny. But then again, a lot of years have passed since we knew her." With a shake of her head she said, "I wish we had gotten to know Aunt Pris and Uncle Mark more. It might've helped us now. We'll just have to see how it goes."   
  
Before Phoebe could answer, the two heard Prue calling up the stairs. Soon after she popped her head in and surveyed the room. "Looks good guys. I'll help out a little later. Let me go and get changed first," said Prue with a small smile. She walked into her room and put on a dark brown skirt, a tan top, and some brown leather boots. AS she checked her reflection in the mirror, she couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive about the younger witch's forthcoming arrival.   
  
Piper and Phoebe were downstairs in the kitchen when Prue came down as well. "When did Leo say Gwen was coming?" asked Prue as she pulled out a bottle of water from the refrigerator.   
  
"Umm, he should be picking her up from England as we speak," replied Phoebe while dropping ice into five glasses.  
  
"Well the chicken is just about ready. All we need is Leo and Gwendy," Piper said with a hint of excitement in her voice.   
  
_Wow, house sure hasn't changed much_, mused Gwen. She tucked a strand of chestnut brown hair behind her ear, and assessed the room. The living area was still decorated with the old fashioned pattern, but maintained some new charm. She turned as she heard footsteps on the hard wood floors. Three similar looking sisters walked up in front of her. One (Phoebe if she remember correctly) smiled a little to brightly at her, and glanced at Leo for some sign of support. He nodded his head towards Gwen with a warm smile. Since no one was talking, Piper felt it was hr duty to start the introductions. "Hey Gwen, long time no see." _Ugh, that was so lame_, Piper thought.   
  
"Yeah it's been like what five, six years?" said Prue trying to lighten the already heavy mood.   
  
"Something like that," answered Gwen, no emotion visible on her heart shaped face. More silence followed.   
  
_OK, not much of a talker. That's understandable_, Phoebe thought. "Well lets all sit down and... um... talk then. Catch up after all this time."   
  
Gwendy sat down and continued staring at the three women. "I'm so sorry about your parents. I really wish we could've gotten to know them better," said Prue abrubtly with sad eyes.   
  
"Thanks, um Prue-all of you. This is very generous of you, letting me stay here. I hope I won't be too much of a burden," Gwen said while twisting a portion of her shirt uncomfortably.   
  
"Oh it's no trouble at all, and we're happy to do it. We're family; we stick together you know," answered Phoebe immediately.   
  
"Right. Family," Gwen said bitterly. "So what's the sitch? What's gonna happen now? How long am I staying here?"   
  
"Well you're going to live here now, unless you choose otherwise. I mean it's all up to you," said Piper in a rush. "We hope you stay though, because it would be great getting to know you again. And we could help too," finished Prue.   
  
"Yeah," Gwen replied as she stared around the room. "This house is amazing; I haven't been here since... Gram's funeral........." She looked down towards the floor as tears threatened to overtake her once again.   
  
"So!" Piper exclaimed, trying to be upbeat. "Why don't we show you where you'll be sleeping. Maybe give you a quick tour of the house, let you get settled in a little bit, and then we can all eat dinner. Gwen, honey you must be starving." 


	4. The first dinner

A/N: I'm really trying here to update regularly, but it's no easy feat. I finally understand why it takes other writers so long to install other chapters, and all I can say is Keep up the Good Work. Anyway I hope everyone enjoys what's to come & please, please keep reviewing!   
  
Reviews: **Janarose**: I can't believe you read the 3rd chapter only an hour after I uploaded! Thank you so much. I apologize for this whole week I've kept you hanging, and I promise to do better. When I first wrote the chapter out, I realized that Gwen was in fact too perky for her present situation so I proceeded to write her in a more grievous fashion. She will become happier, but in time. In answer to your question, I did in fact see the new HP movie on the day it came out actually. The effects really were amazing, but it was kinda choppy & the writers took out some key factors from the book.   
  
**Leojunkie-charmed04**: I'm so glad you enjoyed what's written so far and I hope I won't disappoint you with what's coming next. And really, don't we all wish we were witches with magical powers? ;)   
  
Chapter 4   
  
_This is so surreal. I can't believe I'm gonna be living here_... Gwen paused while folding her clothes when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in", she said hesitantly.   
  
The brown wooden door opened as Phoebe poked her head inside. "Hey sweetie, why don't I help you finish unpacking later. Dinner's ready."   
  
"Ok, let me put this stuff away first." Gwen tucked some clothes into the dresser and followed her cousin into the hallway.   
  
"I hope you like Italian, since that's one of Piper's specialties. She cooks all the meals in the house, being the former chef and all," Phoebe remarked as the two witches walked into the dining room and sat down.   
  
"Gwen do you need anything from the store? I just want to know if there's something you need or want in particular. You should feel free to come to us for anything," said Prue from across the table.  
  
"Um, no, not that I can think of," answered Gwen as she slowly ate a piece of garlic bread. She hadn't eaten since that morning, since her appetite hadn't exactly been present lately. "So what do you all do? I mean for a living. I mean, I know you fight evil and stuff, but as a career?" She asked these questions extremely quickly while trying at the same time not to babble. She felt she needed to get to know her cousins, given that she was going to be living in the same house as them. _I'm making the best of the situation.   
  
_"Well," started Prue, "I work at an auction house downtown called Buckland's."   
  
"Wow, an auctioneer. That's interesting. You must come across a lot of historical pieces," said Gwen with a hint, but also the most engaged interest on her face since she arrived.   
  
"Yeah, all the time. You know if you're interested maybe you'd like to come down sometime and check it out," suggested Prue hoping she wasn't coming off too forward and eager.   
  
"Sure, that sounds cool. I like learning about stuff from ancient times, cause' they feel so...timely," Gwen finished and smiled embarrassingly.   
  
"Have you seen a lot of those kinds of items?" asked Piper trying to fit in to the conversation.   
  
"Well, when my parents..." she paused and looked down at her food, obviously still grieving with loss. Clearing her throat, she quietly said, "When we visited Paris, we would always go to all the museums and just admire. Some of those pieces are incredible."   
  
"Paris is amazing," Prue agreed. "The city contains the most priceless art imaginable. If you don't mind my saying, I'm a little surprised that a twelve year old knows so much and is interested in this kind of stuff."   
  
"I grew up learning about culture. In addition to learning my abc's, I also had to learn about art, history, philosophy, not to mention magic," Gwen replied with a small grin. "By the way, what kinds of powers do you guys all have?"   
  
"Well I can freeze time," Piper said first. At Gwen's impressed look, Phoebe added " Yep, her power has saved our lives more than once. I unfortunately only receive premonitions."   
  
"Wow, a passive and active power," mused Gwen. "What about you Prue?"   
  
"I'm telekinetic," said Prue modestly. "That must come in handy," said Gwen. Prue nodded her head and smiled as she took of sip of water.   
  
"We heard you can deflect magic," Phoebe commented, trying to learn about her younger cousin.   
"Yeah, sort of. I mean I can't like deflect masses of energy balls yet, but I can stop certain types of spells."   
  
"How are you at potion making?" asked Piper hopefully.   
  
"I'm ok I guess. I like making potions, but they can get a little tricky," answered Gwen.   
  
"Great. Maybe you could help me out this week," Piper said in a rush. "I'm swamped with work at Quake, and we could really use another stash. What do you say?"   
  
"Sure. I can't believe you're actually letting me make potions for you. Most witches hate when novices even walk into their kitchen."   
  
"Gwen," said Phoebe with a laugh. " You are hardly a novice. You're a real witch with actual powers. Plus you're part of the most powerful magical family on this earth. Of course we would allow you to help with the potions."   
  
That seemed to settle it. After they were done eating, the four witches put everything away and cleaned up the dining room and kitchen. "Well, I'm exhausted. I think I'm gonna get some shut eye," said Gwen sleepily. However, before going up the stairs, she suddenly stopped and turned around to face her cousins. "Thank you... for everything," she said tentatively.   
  
"You're beyond welcome sweetie. Goodnight," Phoebe said with a smile. Piper and Prue followed suit and proceeded to walk upstairs. 


	5. School and Secrets

A/N: Hey everyone! I'm soo sorry I didn't update sooner. Unfortunately I doubt I'll be able to install new chapters for the next few weeks since I'll be on a cruise and I'm not sure if I can type there. Anyway thanks for all the support and please keep reviewing!   
  
Reviews: **JanaRose**: I totally forgot about Pig! Now what will Ron use as his pet? Thank you so much for all of your undying support-you are officially my greatest fan. I hope you continue to enjoy. :)   
  
Chapter Five  
  
Although the sisters tried to make Gwen feel as comfortable as possible, she still had some trouble adjusting. It was obvious that something was wrong, but the elder Halliwell's assumed she was simply undergoing a tough grieving process. They knew these next few weeks would be particularly difficult for Gwen, having gone through it themselves. They struggled in helping her in many ways, while still giving her a good amount of space. After all, they didn't want to be too smothering.   
  
However there were still certain arrangements that had to be made, namely in the form of Gwendy's schooling. Because the sisters wanted to be fit in the eyes of social services and still offer her a chance at a normal life, they needed to quickly enroll her in a middle school. After visiting several in the area, the "3-P's" decided on John Muir, which was close enough to walk to should anything dire occur. Gwendy was very indifferent when she heard this news. Her mind was always elsewhere these days; she was caught many times with a far off look in her hazel eyes.   
  
On Gwen's first day in a San Franciscan middle school, she came down the stairs in a cream turtleneck, a brown animal print skirt, and mahogany suede knee length boots-all courtesy of Roberto Cavalli and Piper's credit card. Her wavy hair was pulled back and ran long down her back. She had an apprehensive look on her face when she entered the kitchen and greeted her cousins.   
  
"Morning Gwen, waffles or pancakes?" asked Piper with an overly cheerful expression or at least certainly one too merry this early in the day.

"Pancakes I guess," murmured Gwen while sitting down at the breakfast table across from Prue.

"Good choice. Her waffles always seem to be loaded down with waaay too much honey," Prue said as she took a sip of her daily coffee. At Gwen's amused smile, she continued. "So I'll be taking you to school this morning on my way to work, and Phoebe will be there at 3 to pick you up. Sound good?"   
  
"Yeah that's fine, but you really don't have to drive me. I mean the school is in walking distance", Gwen pointed out as Piper laid down a stack of hot, steaming pancakes in front of her.   
  
"True, but technically you are still in danger. So it would make us feel better if you got to school alive and in one piece", said Phoebe as she breezed through from the adjacent laundry room.   
  
"But I'm 13, plus you said yourselves that I'm not completely helpless-I have powers you know."   
  
"Yes, but powers we have yet to see. So how about after school we do a little magic practice session, and you can show us what you got," Prue suggested, trying to compromise.   
  
Gwendy quickly averted her eyes and hesitated before answering. "Um, this afternoon isn't really good. I have to go to the library and check out a bunch of books for make up reading." She looked at each of her cousin's faces, searching for their understanding.   
  
They didn't notice anything out of the ordinary and suggested they move the session to later that night instead. Gwen nodded and quietly sighed in relief.

After six hours of grueling classes, Gwen found herself (during her last period) browsing the aisles of a Wicca shop downtown. She felt guilty about lying to the sisters after all their help, but remained firm in her choice. She had made the decision a short while ago that like humans, demons should also receive punishment for the crimes they've committed. This was the reason she needed to find books related to Cronon and his followers. He couldn't just get away with killing her family and causing this much pain without a price. Gwen couldn't tell her cousins she'd ditched school and spending time with them to do some well needed research on her enemy. She also wouldn't dare check the Book of Shadows for any information, since she knew very well that this distinct family heirloom had a mind of its own. It was bound to the sisters and the Power of Three, and she couldn't risk any of them finding out her plans.


	6. The Plot Thickens

A/N: Well I finally got my laptop to work and now I'm diligently trying to upload as much as possible. So here it is-the next installment of "The New Girl", and also the most I've ever written in one chapter. Enjoy!!   
  
Reviews: **Charmediscool**: Thank you for reading the story! I can understand why you would feel sympathetic towards Gwen, but this is just a difficult time for her. I promise she will get through it.   
  
**JanaRose**: To my greatest fan-I'm so happy you like the fic & seem so dedicated to reading it! This will pretty much be the rising action in Gwen's suspiciousness. Hopefully everyone will understand her motives and realize her actions. Keep up the reviewing! :)   
  
Chapter 6   
  
Gwen came home that night much later than she had anticipated, having spent the rest of the afternoon absorbed in her research. She quickly snuck in the back door through the kitchen, hoping none of her cousins would notice.   
  
She was very, very wrong. Upon entering the dining room she saw Prue, Piper, and Phoebe sitting there with a mix of angry and relieved expressions.   
  
"Good Evening Gwen", greeted Prue sarcastically while standing up and pacing around the room.   
  
"Um, hey everyone", Gwen replied cautiously before taking a seat.   
  
"So, lets get right down to it", started Phoebe. "Where were you this afternoon? I waited for you after school and you never turned up. So after about an hour of wondering and worrying, I talked to some of your teachers. One of them, I believe it was your last period teacher, said you never showed up for class today. Well of course I panicked, called Piper and Prue, and we've been searching and scrying for you ever since." She let out an exasperated sigh and shook her head at the young teen.   
  
"Gwen, we're not trying to blame you for anything, but you have to understand that you are still in danger. Cronon is still out there, not to mention hundreds of other demons who would love to get their hands on a Halliwell, as well as a witch. We just want to make sure you're safe. That's our top priority", finished Piper quietly.   
  
" I know. I get it, I really do. It's just...I needed to do some stuff today and I'm sorry I worried you", Gwen said, searching to see if they would accept her vague excuse.   
  
"Ok, so you wanna tell us where you were today and what was so important that you had to skip your first day of class?" asked Prue. At Gwen's silence she went on. "Fine, everyone has their secrets. We just don't want yours to get you suspended or killed. Please be more careful from now on. And if you need to go out and do something, at least let one of us know, so you don't give us an early heart attack. Deal?"   
  
"Deal. I promise I won't cut class or stay out late without telling you. So what's my punishment?" the young witch asked dejectedly.   
  
Phoebe smiled before answering. "Punishment? We're not going to punish you Gwen. You made one mistake, albeit one mistake that made us frantic and could've gotten you killed. But, we'll understand if you will. We're all still settling, therefore allowances must be made."   
  
When Gwen grinned and nodded, Phoebe took her cold hands in her own and said "Listen I know we're not that close-yet, but we all want you to know that we're here for you. Day and night, 24/7. We're great listeners so if there's anything you need to talk about, just come and find one of us." She kissed her forehead affectionately, and then led her upstairs.

In the late hours of that very same night, the floorboards creaked as Gwen quietly made her way up the attic stairs. She hadn't compiled quiet enough research to defeat Cronon, and knew her only other option was to consult the Book of Shadows, despite her earlier resistance. Glancing around the circular room, she spotted the Book in the far right corner on a wooden pedestal. Cautiously and nervously, Gwen put her hands on top of it, hoping it wouldn't magically fly out of her grasp. When no sign of detection appeared, she quickly began flipping through it until she finally came upon the page dedicated to Cronon. Apparently some of the previous Halliwell witches had cursed the demon, causing him to do no harm. Recently, however he had been freed, and sought only to seek revenge by eliminating her entire family's line. There was no vanquishing potion; only one to curse him again.   
  
_I can just combine the cursing potion with a common vanquishing potion. That should be enough. But damn, these look really complicated. I hope it works...   
_  
Gwen furrowed her brow as she read over the ingredients. Many of them were out of date and some she had never even heard of before._ Oh well, I'll just improvise_. Her stubbornness and determination took over as she started copying down everything she would need. Once she finished, she closed the book and walked down the stairs to the second floor.However, Gwen was unaware of Piper's presence, who, at that precise moment, was making her way from the kitchen up to her room. Leo's frequent absences were really affecting her lately, and she was finding it increasingly difficult to fall asleep at night.   
  
Suddenly, she heard a squeak on the attic stairs.   
  
Cautiously, Piper stood wondering if maybe she should wake up her sisters, but then decided she would surely make too much noise and alert the intruder of her company. She waited; ready to freeze or blow up anything that came into her view. That is, until Gwendy came before her.   
  
The classic "deer in headlights" look shown on Gwen's face as she stared at Piper in shock.   
  
Startled by her cousin, Piper asked, "Gwen, what are doing?"   
  
"Ummm, well... I was just...I needed something from the attic", she finished quickly.   
  
Piper arched an eyebrow and gazed suspiciously at Gwen. Noticing the small article in her hands, she inquired, "You needed a piece of paper?"   
  
"No!" yelped Gwen tucking the list in the back of her P.J. pants. "I wanted a blanket and I couldn't find one."   
  
"Hall closet", supplied Piper, gesturing in its direction.   
  
"Oh well. Haha, guess I looked in the wrong place then. Uh, thanks. I'll just go get one now." Gwen took out a blanket and proceeded into her room. "Goodnight Piper", she said quietly.   
  
The elder witch knew there was definitely something Gwen was hiding from all of them. Hoping it would explain this afternoon's and evening's absence, she walked into the attic and looked around for anything peculiar. Suspecting the worst, she opened up the Book of Shadows for some clue that the young girl had been here. After a few minutes the wind magically picked up and the book landed on the page containing Cronon's description.   
  
_So that's it. I hope I'm totally wrong in this_, thought Piper. _But someone up there must want me to know what she's up to. _


	7. Learning the truth

A/N: I'm finally back from my trip & now I'm gonna try & update more. For some reason my Internet is down while I'm writing this, so I won't be able to answer to all the feedback. So sorry! Also, I was planning on writing more for this chapter, but no time. So it's a little short. Anyway here's the next bit:::   
  
Reviews: Like I said, I unfortunately can't answer to all-only two.   
  
**Janarose**: Thanks for helping me out with that "checking the box for letting in unsigned reviews thing". As my greatest fan you have performed well. :) Yes, the plot will definitely thicken & become more intense, since Gwen will get a taste of the dark side....

**Stranded Stargazer**: Glad you like the fic, and encouragement is good for the HP part!   
Chapter 7:   
  
After the previous evening's encounter with Piper, Gwen was even more anxious than ever to quickly follow through with her plans. The next day she convinced Phoebe to let her roam Chinatown on her own for a school "project". In reality however, she needed some key supplies. The Wiccan Equinox was fast approaching, which was the perfect day to perform the ritual.   
  
_Hopefully with the extra magic boost, I'll be able to summon, curse, and vanquish the bastard all in one.   
_  
Thankfully her cousins were planning on spending some quality party time at P3, so she'd definitely have the house all to herself.

Piper was not having a good day.   
  
She hadn't slept at all the night before due to her constant worry over Leo and Gwen. She wasn't sure if she should tell her sisters anything until she had substantial proof that their younger cousin was planning something dangerous.   
  
This was what she continued to tell herself as she made her way up to the young witch's room that afternoon. _I'm making sure she's all right and that she's going to remain all right by stopping her before she does anything stupid_.   
  
Opening the door, Piper found nothing unusual for a girl/witch. Knickknacks and pictures of her family and friends aligned the shelves and top of the dresser. The closet was filled with all new clothes the Halliwell's had purchased for her. Everything seemed relatively normal.   
  
_Might as well start snooping._   
  
Piper found nothing suspicious in the drawers or around the bed so she decided to take a peek in the antique chest in the corner. Old items from Gwen's past occupied the top, but she knew that anything dangerous and worth being hidden would be kept in the secret compartments.   
  
She lifted the first shelf and placed it aside. _Bingo_.   
  
Many different jars came into view, each with specific herbs and potion ingredients. Candles, a mortar and pestle, and a medium sized basin took up the rest of the space. _Hmmm, yeah I think it's safe to say she's up to something.   
_  
By cross-referencing with the Book of Shadows, she realized Gwen was going to try and take on Cronon. She checked the clock on the wall and figured her and Phoebe would be returning home soon, and resolved to clear out of her room before she was caught. Piper desperately needed to talk to her sisters so they could figure out what should be done.

"But we don't even know if it's gonna be tonight," argued Phoebe. Piper had just finished explaining to Prue and herself her suspicions of Gwendy, and Phoebe was trying her best to give the girl the benefit of the doubt.   
  
"Of course it's going to be tonight. What better night than the Equinox to perform a vanquishing?," Prue answered right back while pacing around the attic.   
  
"Plus she did insist we go out tonight. That explains why she'd want to be alone," added Piper.   
  
The three women sat in silence for a few minutes contemplating the best way to go about the situation. Finally Piper stood up and announced her thoughts and ideas. "I can understand why she would want to go after Cronon, but he must be pretty strong to be able to break the curse and kill her parents. So it's probably a REALLY bad idea for Gwen to try and take him on herself. The question is however, do we intervene to help her or stop her?"   
  
Neither Prue nor Phoebe knew how to answer. Finally the former spoke up. "The part that stumps me is how she's going to do it. There's no vanquishing potion for Cronon in the Book, and I seriously doubt she'd settle on just cursing him. We have to make sure the spells she's planning on using are safe. You said you saw some axle weed (A/N: I have no idea if this ingredient actually exists; I just made it up. So if there really is an axle weed, it has no connection to this story.) in the chest Piper? That's rarely ever used in good magic, so I think it's fair to assume she'll be venturing into the black arts."   
  
"And we all know how well that turns out," said Phoebe wryly. "So what's our strategy? We can't let her know we're onto her because she'll just reschedule the ritual some other night, regardless of the Equinox. I say we pretend we're going to the club and then double back to stop her. That way, she can get a taste of the bad shit she'd messing with and will learn a valuable lesson in the process."   
  
"That's...strangely a practical and good idea Phoebe. All right, we just have to wait till midnight then," said Prue grimly.


	8. The Showdown

A/N: I'll be going on another trip for the next two weeks (to Europe!!) so I wanted to update as soon as possible. I hope everyone likes this chapter since it's basically the climax of the entire story. Remember guys----reviews ALWAYS help!!!   
  
Reviews: **Stranded Stargazer**: Yep, Gwen will be messing with the dark arts. Like almost all good witches, she has to have her taste of evil at some point in her life to decide if good magic is really her calling.   
  
Chapter 8   
  
The time read 11:56 and Gwen was just about ready. The dark crystals were in place to trap and bind Cronon when summoned. She had checked and re-checked every piece of research to ensure everything went smoothly, but she still couldn't shake the fear or worry that was beginning to overtake her.   
  
Gathering what was left of her courage, she took the piece of parchment containing all the spells she would need and began to silently memorize them.   
  
In the distance she heard the Grand Father clock chime 12 beats.   
  
Gwen sucked in a breath and started chanting.   
  
A cool wind blew through the attic and violently rattled the stained class windows. The wooden floors shook and Gwendy feared they would crumble beneath her. Nevertheless, she continued with the ritual.   
  
Suddenly a large, grotesque figure landed in front of her.   
  
Cronon stood before her with a menacing look on his face.   
  
"Why did you summon me girl?!" he asked threateningly.   
  
"To kill you," she said equally with intent. "Just like the way you killed my parents."   
  
Her eyes started tearing up with emotions but she would die rather than let this monster see her weak.   
  
The demon began to cackle evilly. "So you are the youngest Halliwell witch; the one I've been searching for. Well I must thank you for saving me the extra trouble."   
  
Gwen narrowed her eyes and quickly touched the crystal nearest her, causing Cronon to writhe in pain. He angrily attempted to pry himself through the barrier but was held back.   
  
"I'll get through this eventually. Your weak magic wont hold me for long."   
  
"I just need you long enough to make you suffer," Gwen answered. There was a dark expression on her normally light and happy face. Her eyes were the color of steel as she muttered a word in Latin.   
  
"Pernucio!" she cried, promptimg Cronon to cry out in anguish. (A/N: I have no idea if this word is really in Latin since I just made it up, hoping it would sound like a real curse. Latin always seems like the most aged language, which is perfect for this part of the story.)   
  
Weakened, Gwen took large, uneven breaths. She hadn't anticipated the spell to take so much out of her.   
  
But before she could utter another curse, he attic door burst open as the Charmed Ones rushed inside.   
  
Cronon sent a burst of violent energy towards them, which Prue swiftly deflected, sending him flying out of the crystal barriers.   
  
Piper and Phoebe rushed to their cousin's side and both were rapidly asking if she was all right.   
  
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Why are you guys here?! You're not supposed to be home!!!"   
  
She was freely crying now and looked extremely shaken up. Gwen voiced another curse, pointing at Cronon who was in the middle of the room dueling with Prue.   
  
"Gwen!" shouted Phoebe, forcing her to the floor before Cronon could retaliate.   
  
Piper froze the room just in time as Prue was almost hit with a massive burst of energy.   
  
"Let me go!! I have to finish this! This isn't your fight!!" cried Gwen while fighting against her older cousin's restraining arms.   
  
"Stop! Stop it Gwen! You can't do this and you know it! You're using black magic to torture him; it isn't right! This isn't you!!" shouted Piper as she joined Phoebe in restricting Gwen.   
  
"Your parents wouldn't want you to do this! They didn't want you to become a killer!" added Prue who was nursing a gash on her forearm.   
  
"I'll never know what they want anymore because thanks to him they're dead!!"   
  
She was still fighting-fighting for her parents, and fighting for herself.   
  
"Gwen listen to me," said Phoebe as steadily as possible, grasping her shoulders. "You can't just kill out of vengeance. Because if you do, you'll be just as bad as him."   
  
Gwen stopped struggling and just cried. She cried out all her grief, her anger, and her pain.   
  
And Phoebe simply sat there holding her, allowing her to sob and trying to offer some comfort.

Tears were already forming in each of the sisters' eyes.   
  
Prue's heart went out to her as she remembered when their own mother died at the hands of a demon.   
  
Breaking the tender moment, Cronon unfroze and growled furiously.   
  
But just before he could send out another wave of attacks, he magically burned up on his own, leaving nothing but ash behind.   
  
"How...?" asked Piper unbelievably to no one in particular.   
  
"That was my doing," said a new voice, as the ghostly figure of Penny Halliwell floated in front of them.

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Click it and offer some sort of feedback please! :) 


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